Shock-absorber.



G. F. RODIN.

sHocK ABsoRBBR.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 22, 1909.

974,709. Patented Nov.` 1, 1910. rfv-1U; m@

CHARLES F. ROBIN, 0F SAN' FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SHOCK-ABSORBER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 1, 1910.

Application filed November 22, 1909. Serial No. 529,233;

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. ROBIN, a

citizenl of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and .use-

ful Improvements in Shock-Absorbers, o f- Which the following is a specication.v

' My invention relates to an improved apparatus .to compensate for the rebounding action of springs-after they have been compressed, such action loccurring when the vethemselves. c c

My invention consists in the combination hicle passes over irregularitiesi in the` road surface, and this recoil or rebound being beyond the normal position of the sprin s is not only disagreeable to the occupants o the vehicle, but isl disastrous to the springs of parts and detailsl of construction which -will be more fullyexplained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in .which- Figure 1 is an elevation showing an end Y view of my device, and its connection with the axle and frame of the car. Fig. 2 is a transverse section showing the interior and its attachment to the axle. Fig. 3 is a section in the plane of the axle showing the interior surfaceof the cylinder. Fig. 4 is a side view of the shaft, and the vane or piston carried thereon.

In my invention,-A is a plate of somewhat irregular' shape, but in general form having a flat outer surface of sufficient size to receive the circularsegment 2, which is provided with flanges 3, and these flanges correspond with similar flanges or extensions upon the part A so-that the two may be secured together by bolts and nuts as at 4, with a gasket between to prevent leakage. The segment 2 is closed at each end, and for purposes of'easy access, at least one of the ends 5v may be bolted to the segment, asv plainly shown in Fig. 1.

The surface of the plate A'against which the'segment is secured has a longitudinal, semi-cylindrical groove 6, in which the shaft 7 which carries the vane 8, is tted to oscillate. In the bottom of this groove is a channel 9 which is adapted to receive an elastic packing bar 10. Such 'packing may be made of any suitable material. I have found that steel or other metal bar slightly arched and fitted into the channel, w1ll form a suiiiciently fluid-tight contact with the surface of the shaft 7 so that as the latter oscillates when in action, the joint willbe retained tight, and no leakage will occur at this point. y

The vane or piston 8 .extends radially from the shaft to lthe inner periphery of the cylinder segment 2, and it has packing bars l1 tted into'its edges sofas. to form tight joints between the edge which moves against the interior of the cylinder, and

also the ends' which move in contact with the ends 5 of the segmental case.

A series'of holes l2 is made through the .part 8, and upon one side of-itf these openings are controlled by valves as at 13, these valves opening to 'allow this part to move freely in one direction, and closing when it commences to move in the opposite direction.

The connection vbetween this apparatus and the car is eifected by 4means of a crank or rocker-arm 14 which islixed to the end of the shaft 7 exterior to. the casing 2, and

a link l5 with the frame 16y of the car, So that the parts being supported upon the wheel axle, as will be hereafter described, when the car bodyapproaches the axle by reason of the'. compression of the springs upon whichthe car frame is'supported, this vane or piston 8 will, by reason of its connection with the caryframe, be caused to move downwardly toward the lower part of the casing 2. This casing being filled with liquid, the latter will'force its Way through the openings 12 which are suiicient in number to allow a substantially free movement, and the liquid will then be transferred to the upper part of the casin 2. When the compression of the springs has been exhausted, and the latter attempt to return to their normal position, means must be provided to allow* the liquid to transfer from the upper to the`-lower part of the case the end of this rocker-arm is connected by 2.' This means consists of a series of grooves or channels 16a which are made in the curved ,will be retained without furthermeans of escape, as the valves 13 will be closed against it. I am thus enabled by the im creasing length of the grooves 16 to provide for as free a passage of the liquid around the piston as may be desirable, when-the springs first commence to arise from' their 'compressed condition, and to gradually reduce the `area through which the liquid may pass -until the springs are gradually checked in their upward' movement so that no disagreeable rebound or shock occurs. In order to adjustably attach this device tothe car axle 17, thev inner periphery of the part A is concaved as shown at 18 so as to substantially fit the curvature of the axle 17.

Upon the opposite side of the axle is a segmental clip 19 having a similar curvature and bolts 2O passing through' this clip, and

through the'part A, are provided with nuts by which the parts may be drawn together,

' and gripped with suflicient force upon the axle.

In order to prevent the accidental turning I of the device upon the axle, I have shown one or -more set screws or equivalent'means 21, for securing the part, and preventing its turning after being clamped. By this means I can turn the device about the axle so that itmay stand higheror lower, and when the shaft 7 the arm 14, and link 15,

-are connected with the frame of the car, the 'piston-vane 8 will stand either higher or lower in its casing, according to the position in which the parts .are secured to the axle. Thus, if the piston stands low, the compression of the springs-will 'carry it downto the lowerY part ofthe casing where the passages 16 are all uncovered bytlie piston, and the upward movement will vbe'at,first, correspondingly free, with a gradual reduction in its speed until the end of ,"the stroke is reached. 'It set higher in the casing, its` limit of `downward motion will be correspondingly less, and alessnu'mber of grooves 16 will be uncovered, and the upward return "movement willv be correspondingly slower.

Having` thus described my invention, what I claim and desire t0 secure by Letters Patent isj VThe commnation ina springwreeoll compensator, of a plate adapted to be secured to the axle of a vehicle, said plate having a longitudinal `segmental groove, a segmental casing having the axis of the groove. its cen-4 ter of curvature, a shaft turnable in the groove, a channel formed in the lower partof the groove, a packing bar located in the channel and forming a joint with the surface of the shaft, a piston projecting radially from the shaft and having a packing joint between its edges andthe interior of the segmental case, means for oscillating the shaft and piston Within the casing, valvecontrolled passages by which liquid contained in the casing is allowed-to pass freely from one side to thev other of the piston, and.

return grooves: formed in the inner- 'surface fof the casing, said grooves being gradually lengthened from one end to the other of the casing.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing Witnesses. V

' CHARLES F. RODIN.. Witnesses:

' CHARLES EDELMAN, S. P. LATHROP.V 

